FIFA Executive Committee

FIFA Executive Committee (ExCo) is an institution of FIFA (the governing body of association football). It is the main decision-making body of the organization in the intervals of Congress. Its members are elected by the FIFA Congress.

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The Executive Committee consists of a President, elected by the Congress in the year following a FIFA World Cup, eight vice-presidents and 15 members, appointed by the confederations and associations, and one female member elected by the Congress.[1] It meets at least twice a year, with the mandate for each member lasting four years, and its role includes determining the dates, locations and format of tournaments, appointing FIFA delegates to the IFAB and electing and dismissing the General Secretary on the proposal of the FIFA President. It is made up of the following representatives:[2]

In November 2010, two Executive members, Reynald Temarii and Amos Adamu, were banned for one and three years respectively. Temarii was also fined 5,000 Swiss Francs, while Adamu was fined 10,000 Swiss Francs. Temarii had been found breaching FIFA's code of confidentiality in a sting by The Sunday Times, while in the same sting Amos Adamu was found to have tried to sell his vote for the host of the 2018/2022FIFA World Cups. The number of Exco members for the 2 December vote was thus reduced from 24 to 22, and the winning vote requirement from 13 to 12. FIFA, however, have not ruled out the possibility of replacing Adamu and Temarii.[3]

On 25 May 2011, Exco member Chuck Blazer reported fellow members Mohammed bin Hammam and Jack Warner to FIFA's ethics committee claiming they offered bribes to members of the Caribbean Football Union at a meeting on 10/11 May. Bin Hammam involved Sepp Blatter in the scandal claiming he knew about the alleged cash payments. As a result of this scandal, bin Hammam stood down from the June 2011 presidential election and FIFA later suspended both he and Jack Warner. Sepp Blatter stood unopposed and won the election with 186 out of 203 votes.[4]

On 31 May 2011, in an interview with German press, when asked about who he voted for to receive the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting rights FIFA senior vice-president Julio Grondona said, "Yes, I voted for Qatar, because a vote for the US would be like a vote for England, and that is not possible [...] But with the English bid I said: Let us be brief. If you give back the Falkland Islands, which belong to us, you will get my vote. They then became sad and left."[5]

On 27 May 2015, fourteen top football officials – including executive committee members – were arrested in Switzerland on corruption charges. Executives Webb, Warner, and Figueredo as well as Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin, and Nicolás Leoz all faced extradition to the United States for violation of federal law.[6][7]

Following the 2015 FIFA corruption case, newly elected British FIFA Vice-President and Executive Committee board member David Gill threatened to resign his role if Sepp Blatter was re-elected as FIFA President for a fifth term in protest at his leadership. Blatter was re-elected, and Gill immediately rejected the position in protest, stating he would not serve in any capacity under a Blatter regime.[8] Four days later, Blatter abruptly announced he would be stepping down, and Gill said he would "reconsider" his decision to quit in light of the development. Gill had not yet formally resigned.[9]